Eliminating Unexpected Activation Of Components Of A Vehicle When Parked In A Garage

ABSTRACT

This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for eliminating false activation of components of a vehicle when the vehicle is parked in a garage. Example components can be a door lock, a door latch, a door activation servomotor, or a light. In an example method, a vehicle entry authorization system of a vehicle operates a sensor system to obtain dimensional information of an interior portion of the garage. The vehicle entry authorization system may then detect a presence of a mobile device (such as a phone-as-a-key or a vehicle key fob) and determines the location of the mobile device based on the dimensional information. If the mobile device is located outside the garage, the vehicle entry authorization system refrains from activating a component of the vehicle. However, if the mobile device is located inside the garage, the vehicle entry authorization system activates the component.

BACKGROUND

Many vehicles now include a sensor system that can detect a driverapproaching a vehicle and convey the information to a computer in thevehicle. The computer may then automatically unlock or open the doors ofthe vehicle after verifying that the driver is authorized to enter thevehicle. However, in some situations, the computer may execute certainoperations that are unexpected such as, for example, inadvertentlyunlocking or opening the doors of the vehicle when a driver does notintend to enter the vehicle. Such actions can render the vehiclevulnerable to theft and may also lead to unnecessary battery drain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description is set forth below with reference to theaccompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals mayindicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilizeelements and/or components other than those illustrated in the drawings,and some elements and/or components may not be present in variousembodiments. Elements and/or components in the figures are notnecessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, depending on thecontext, singular and plural terminology may be used interchangeably.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example scenario where a vehicle that is parked ina first type of garage executes some operations in accordance with thedisclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example scenario where a vehicle that is parked ina second type of garage executes some operations in accordance with thedisclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example scenario where a vehicle that is parked ina third type of garage executes some operations in accordance with thedisclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example scenario where a vehicle that is parked ina fourth type of garage executes some operations in accordance with thedisclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example scenario where the vehicle shown in FIG. 1executes some additional operations in accordance the disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows some example components that may be included in a vehiclein accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Overview

In terms of a general overview, certain embodiments described in thisdisclosure are directed to systems and methods for eliminating falseactivation of components of a vehicle when the vehicle is parked in agarage. Example components can be a door lock, a door latch, a dooractivation servomotor, or a light. Same would be true for a rear door orliftgate. In an example method in accordance with the disclosure, avehicle entry authorization system of a vehicle obtains dimensionalinformation of an interior portion of the garage by operating variousdevices of a sensor system of the vehicle. The sensor system may includeimage capture devices (one or more cameras, for example) and may alsoinclude distance measurement devices (a radar detector, a lightdetection and ranging (LIDAR) device, and/or an ultrasonic detector, forexample). In an example embodiment, the vehicle entry authorizationsystem operates one or more cameras for capturing images of the walls ofthe garage and one or more distance measuring devices for obtainingdistance information of the walls of the garage with respect to thevehicle. The captured images may then be annotated with the distanceinformation and known dimensions of the vehicle to create arepresentation of the interior portion of the garage and/or forgenerating a template.

The vehicle entry authorization system may then detect a presence of amobile device, such as a handheld remote-control device (e.g., aphone-as-a-key or a vehicle key fob) and identify the location of thehandheld remote-control device. In some instances, the handheldremote-control device may be a wearable device or the like. The templatemay be used to determine whether the handheld remote-control device islocated inside or outside the garage. If the handheld remote-controldevice is located outside the garage, the vehicle entry authorizationsystem refrains from activating a component of the vehicle. However, ifthe handheld remote-control device is located inside the garage, thevehicle entry authorization system activates the component.

Illustrative Embodiments

The disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of thedisclosure are shown. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in manydifferent forms and should not be construed as limited to the exampleembodiments set forth herein. It will be apparent to persons skilled inthe relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made tovarious embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent disclosure. Thus, the breadth and scope of the presentdisclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exampleembodiments but should be defined only in accordance with the followingclaims and their equivalents. The description below has been presentedfor the purposes of illustration and is not intended to be exhaustive orto be limited to the precise form disclosed. It should be understoodthat alternate implementations may be used in any combination desired toform additional hybrid implementations of the present disclosure. Forexample, any of the functionality described with respect to a particulardevice or component may be performed by another device or component.Furthermore, while specific device characteristics have been described,embodiments of the disclosure may relate to numerous other devicecharacteristics. Further, although embodiments have been described inlanguage specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, itis to be understood that the disclosure is not necessarily limited tothe specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific featuresand acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing theembodiments.

Certain words and phrases are used herein solely for convenience andsuch words and terms should be interpreted as referring to variousobjects and actions that are generally understood in various forms andequivalencies by persons of ordinary skill in the art. For example, itmust be understood that the word “vehicle” as used herein refers to anyof various types of transport including, for example, a car, a truck, avan, a sports utility vehicle, a truck, and a bus. The word “sensor” asused herein can refer to any of various types of devices that may beused to perform operations such as identifying the presence of anobject, producing an image, generating data, performing a distancemeasurement, and/or executing a measurement procedure. The word “image”as used herein can refer to a single image or to multiple images. Insome cases, the multiple images may be contained in a video clip, whichcan be a real-time video clip. The phrase “smart device” as used hereingenerally refers to a mobile device that either operates inherently orcan be configured to operate, as a handheld remote-control device. A fewexamples of a handheld remote-control device include a phone-as-a-keyand a vehicle key fob. It must be understood that the descriptionprovided herein with reference to a “dwelling” is equally applicable toany type of building structure that can house human beings including,for example, a residence, an office, a workplace, a business, a store, afactory, and a storage facility. Words such as “autonomously” and“automatically” may be used interchangeably herein and are generallydirected at indicating actions that are performed by a vehicle withouthuman intervention. The word “adjacent” as used herein encompasses otherwords such as adjoining, contiguous, abutting, tangent, conterminous andjuxtaposed that all indicate close proximity. It must also be understoodthat words such as “implementation,” “application,” “scenario,” “case,”and “situation” as used herein are an abbreviated version of the phrase“In an example (“implementation,” “application,” “scenario,” “case,”“approach,” and “situation”) in accordance with the disclosure.” Itshould be understood that the word “example” as used herein is intendedto be non-exclusionary and non-limiting in nature. The phrase“autonomous vehicle” as used in this disclosure generally refers to avehicle that can perform at least a few operations without humanintervention. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) defines sixlevels of driving automation ranging from Level 0 (fully manual) toLevel 5 (fully autonomous). These levels have been adopted by the U.S.Department of Transportation. Level 0 (L0) vehicles are manuallycontrolled vehicles having no driving related automation. Level 1 (L1)vehicles incorporate some features, such as cruise control, but a humandriver retains control of most driving and maneuvering operations. Level2 (L2) vehicles are partially automated with certain driving operationssuch as steering, braking, and lane control being controlled by avehicle computer. The driver retains some level of control of thevehicle and may override certain operations executed by the vehiclecomputer. Level 3 (L3) vehicles provide conditional driving automationbut are smarter in terms of having an ability to sense a drivingenvironment and certain driving situations. Level 4 (L4) vehicles canoperate in a self-driving mode and include features where the vehiclecomputer takes control during certain types of equipment failures. Thelevel of human intervention is very low. Level 5 (L5) vehicles are fullyautonomous vehicles that do not involve human participation.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example scenario where a vehicle 115 that isparked in a first type of garage executes some operations in accordancewith the disclosure. The vehicle 115 may be any of various types ofvehicles such as, for example, a gasoline powered vehicle, an electricvehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, or an autonomous vehicle, and mayinclude components such as a vehicle entry authorization system 116, avehicle computer 117, a sensor system, and an infotainment system 148.

The vehicle computer 117 may perform various functions such ascontrolling engine operations (fuel injection, speed control, emissionscontrol, braking, etc.), managing climate controls (air conditioning,heating etc.), issuing warnings (check engine light, bulb failure, lowtire pressure, vehicle in blind spot, etc.), and activating componentsin accordance with the disclosure (a door lock, a door latch, a dooractivation servomotor, a light, etc.). The vehicle computer 117 may becommunicatively coupled to the vehicle entry authorization system 116for performing certain operations in response to commands and/orinstructions from the vehicle entry authorization system 116. Thecommands and/or instructions can pertain to operating one or morecomponents of the vehicle 115 in accordance with disclosure.

The sensor system can include various types of sensors, detectors, andimaging devices that provide information about various objects locatedoutside the vehicle 115. The sensors and detectors may be installed atvarious locations in the vehicle 115 and can include, for example, oneor more cameras, ultrasonic detectors, radar detectors, sonar detectors,light detection and ranging (LIDAR) devices, and audio devices(microphones). In the illustrated example, a camera 135 is mounted on afront portion of the vehicle 115 (bumper, grille, dashboard, etc.) andarranged to capture images of objects located in front of the vehicle115. A camera 150 is mounted on a rear portion of the vehicle 115(bumper, trunk, etc.) and arranged to capture images of objects locatedbehind the vehicle 115. A camera 140 is mounted on a B-pillar 149 of thevehicle 115 and arranged to capture images of objects located outside onthe driver side of the vehicle 115. A camera 145 is mounted on aB-pillar 147 of the vehicle 115 and arranged to capture images ofobjects located outside on the passenger side of the vehicle 115.

In other embodiments, one or more of these cameras may be complementedwith sensors such as, for example, a radar detector, an ultrasonicdetector, a sonar detector, and/or a LIDAR device. The various detectorsmay be arranged for capturing distance information between the vehicle115 and objects outside the vehicle 115, such as, for example, a wall ofthe garage 105. In some cases, a microphone may be arranged to capturesounds produced by various objects outside the vehicle 115 such as, forexample, a spoken command issued by an individual located outside thevehicle 115.

The infotainment system 148 can be an integrated unit that includesvarious components such as a radio, a USB access port for digital audiodevices, and a global positioning system (GPS). In an exampleimplementation, the infotainment system 148 includes a displayincorporating a graphical user interface (GUI) for use by a driver ofthe vehicle 115. The GUI may be omitted in some implementations, suchas, for example, when the vehicle 115 is an autonomous vehicle. The GUImay be used for various purposes such as, for example, to enable adriver of the vehicle 115 to confirm the accuracy of a distancemeasurement procedure executed by the vehicle entry authorization system116.

The vehicle entry authorization system 116 can include a computer havinga processor and a memory. The memory, which is one example of anon-transitory computer-readable medium, may be used to store variouscode modules. The code modules, which may be provided in the form of asoftware package, contain computer-executable instructions that can beexecuted by the processor for performing various operations inaccordance with the disclosure. A few examples of such operations, whichare generally directed at eliminating false activation of components ofthe vehicle 115 when the vehicle 115 is parked in the garage 105, aredescribed below.

The vehicle entry authorization system 116 may further include acommunication system that enables the vehicle entry authorization system116 to communicate with various devices such as, for example, a vehicleentry authorization system of another vehicle, a vehicle computer ofanother vehicle, and/or a handheld remote-control device 120 of anindividual 125 who resides in the dwelling 110. The communication systemin the vehicle entry authorization system 116 can employ any of varioustypes of technologies and communication formats such as, for example,Bluetooth®, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Low Frequency (LF), Ultra-HighFrequency (UHF), Wi-Fi, Zigbee®, near-field-communications (NFC), andcellular.

The garage 105 in this example scenario, is attached to a dwelling 110and has four walls. However, in another scenario, the garage 105 can bean isolated structure that is located adjacent to, and separated from,the dwelling 110 by a separation distance, and/or may have more than, orless than, four walls. The dwelling 110 in this example, which may havemore than one floor, includes a wall 111 that is shared with the garage105. The wall 111 has a door 112 that leads into the garage 105 from aroom of the dwelling 110. An individual 125 who may reside in thedwelling 110 (or work in a workplace when the structure is an office,for example) is shown walking up a staircase 130 from one floor toanother carrying the handheld remote-control device 120 in one hand.

The handheld remote-control device 120 can be any of various devicessuch as, for example, a smartphone or a key fob, and can employ any ofvarious communication formats such as Bluetooth®, Ultra-Wideband (UWB),Low Frequency (LF), Ultra-High Frequency (UHF), Wi-Fi, Zigbee®,near-field-communications (NFC), or cellular. More particularly, inaccordance with the disclosure, the smartphone can include a softwareapplication that enables the individual 125 to use the smartphone forperforming certain operations upon the vehicle 115. Such operations caninclude, for example, starting the vehicle 115 prior to entering thevehicle 115, activating a climate control system of the vehicle 115prior to entering the vehicle 115, and so on. In an example scenario,the software application may be downloaded into the smartphone andexecuted in order to convert the smartphone into a Phone-as-a-Key(PaaK). The PaaK provides functionalities such as those offered by aremote-control key fob (unlocking and/or locking a door of a vehiclewhile located outside the vehicle, activating a security system,starting the vehicle, etc.).

In addition to operations that may be performed by the individual 125,some operations may be performed autonomously by the vehicle entryauthorization system 116 without involvement of the individual 125. Forexample, the vehicle entry authorization system 116 may automaticallyunlock a door of the vehicle 115 upon detecting the presence of thehandheld remote-control device 120 as the individual 125 approaches thevehicle 115. In other examples, the vehicle entry authorization system116 may detect the presence of the handheld remote-control device 120 inthe vicinity of the vehicle 115 and perform actions such asautomatically operating a door by activation of a servomotor to open adoor, flash one or more exterior lights (head lights, running lights,tail lights, etc.), turn on an interior cabin light, emit a short beep,and/or lower a chassis of the vehicle 115. Lowering the chassis of thevehicle 115 may assist the individual 125 step into the vehicle 115,particularly when the vehicle 115 is a large vehicle such as a truck ora sports utility vehicle.

In some cases, the vehicle entry authorization system 116 may performsome of these autonomous operations under circumstances where it isundesirable or unnecessary to do so. More particularly, the vehicleentry authorization system 116 may perform some of these autonomousoperations when the individual 125 is located outside the garage 105 anddoes not intend to enter the vehicle 115. For example, the vehicle entryauthorization system 116 may detect the presence of the handheldremote-control device 120 inside the dwelling 110 when, for example, theindividual 125 is climbing the staircase 130 or is moving around thedwelling 110 (as indicated by a dashed line outline), and performactions such as automatically operating a door activation servomotor toopen a door. In another example situation, the individual 125 may belocated outside the garage door 144 (as indicated by another dashed lineoutline) performing some chores on a driveway, for example, and has nointention to enter the vehicle 115 at this time.

In some cases, the actions performed by the vehicle entry authorizationsystem 116, which may be referred to herein as false activations, may berepeated several times when the individual 125 is moving around outsidethe garage 105 and/or inside the dwelling 110, and may lead to a featureshutoff condition. The feature shutoff condition may hinder desirableactions such as, for example, automatically operating a door activationservomotor to open a door, when the individual 125 actually intends toenter the vehicle 115 later on. Repeated operations of this nature canalso lead to unnecessarily draining a battery of the vehicle 115 and/ora battery in the handheld remote-control device 120 in addition tounnecessary consuming cycles of the design life of the door mechanisms.It is therefore desirable in accordance with the disclosure to eliminatethese types of false activations when the vehicle 115 is parked in thegarage 105.

Towards this end, the vehicle entry authorization system 116 may performa measurement procedure to obtain dimensional information of theinterior portion of the garage and may use the dimensional informationto refrain from automatically activating a component of the vehicle 115(light, door, etc.) when the individual 125 is located outside thegarage 105. The dimensional information may be further used by thevehicle entry authorization system 116 to perform desirable actions whenthe individual 125 is inside the garage 105 and intends to enter thevehicle 115.

In an example measurement procedure in accordance with the disclosure,the vehicle entry authorization system 116 operates one or more devicessuch as, for example, one or more cameras and one or more distancemeasurement devices (radar detectors, ultrasonic detectors, etc.). Moreparticularly, the vehicle entry authorization system 116 can operate thecamera 135 for capturing an image of the wall 137 that constitutes anorth perimeter of the interior portion of the garage 105. A distancemeasurement device, which may be mounted adjacent to the camera 145 onthe B-pillar 147, can be operated to determine a distance 136 betweenthe vehicle 115 and the wall 137. The image of the wall 137 may then beannotated with the distance 136.

Similarly, the camera 140 can be operated for capturing an image of thewall 138 that constitutes a west perimeter of the interior portion ofthe garage 105. A distance measurement device, which may be mountedadjacent to the camera 140 on the B-pillar 149, can be operated todetermine a distance 141 between the vehicle 115 and the wall 138. Theimage of the wall 138 may then be annotated with the distance 141.

The camera 150 can be operated for capturing an image of the wall 142and an inside surface of a garage door 144, which constitute a southperimeter of the interior portion of the garage 105. A distancemeasurement device, which may be mounted adjacent to the camera 150, canbe operated to determine a distance 151 between the vehicle 115 and theinside surface of the garage door 144. The image of the wall 142 and theinside surface of the garage door 144 may then be annotated with thedistance 151.

The camera 145 can be operated for capturing an image of the wall 143that constitutes an east perimeter of the interior portion of the garage105. A distance measurement device, which may be mounted adjacent to thecamera 145 on the B-pillar 147, can be operated to determine a distance146 between the vehicle 115 and the wall 143. The image of the wall 143may then be annotated with the distance 146.

In an example embodiment, the vehicle entry authorization system 116 maystitch together the annotated images of the wall 137, the wall 138, thewall 142, the inside surface of the garage door 144, and the wall 143 tocharacterize the interior portion of the garage 105 in a format thatprovides a 360° view of the walls of the garage 105.

In another example embodiment, the vehicle entry authorization system116 may generate a template by combining the annotated images of thewall 137, the wall 138, the wall 142, the inside surface of the garagedoor 144, and the wall 143. The template can be provided in the form ofan outline diagram that depicts a perimeter of the interior portion ofthe garage 105 and may be stored in a database of the vehicle entryauthorization system 116 in the form of location coordinates (GPSlocation coordinates, for example). Dimensions of the outline diagrammay be determined by the vehicle entry authorization system 116 bycombining the various measurements made by use of the various devices(camera, ultrasonic detector, etc,) mounted on peripheral portions ofthe vehicle 115 (B-pillar 147, B-pillar 149, trunk, and hood, forexample) with dimensional information of the vehicle 115 (end-to-endwidth, end-to-end length, etc.). The dimensional information maycorrespond to dimensions applicable to the vehicle 115 duringmanufacture in a factory. The template can be used by the vehicle entryauthorization system 116 to determine whether a device, such as, forexample, a PaaK or a vehicle key fob, is either located inside thegarage 105 or outside the garage 105. In an example embodiment, thetemplate is stored in a database of the vehicle entry authorizationsystem 116 along with location information of the garage (GPScoordinates, for example). The template may be accessed by, or providedto, other vehicles for use by the other vehicles. The other vehiclesmay, or may, not be equipped with measurement devices such as, forexample, a camera or an ultrasonic detector.

In another example embodiment, the vehicle entry authorization system116 may combine the annotated images of the wall 137, the wall 138, thewall 142, the inside surface of the garage door 144, and the wall 143 togenerate a visual rendering (a diagram, an outline drawing, a graphicalimage, etc.) that is displayable on the GUI of the infotainment system148 for various purposes. In one case, the vehicle entry authorizationsystem 116 may display the visual rendering along with a query seekingconfirmation of the accuracy of the dimensions and/or shape of thegarage 105 as shown in the visual rendering. The driver of the vehicle115 may observe the visual rendering and either edit the visualrendering (if any dimension is inaccurate, for example) and/or mayratify the accuracy of the rendering.

The example measurement procedure described above (image capture,distance measurement, annotation, etc.) may be executed as a one-timeoperation or may be executed multiple times (sporadically, periodically,or randomly). The one-time operation may be carried out due to variousreasons such as, for example, when the vehicle 115 is being parked inthe garage 105 for a first time, when one or more dimensions of thegarage 105 has changed (due to remodeling, for example), and/or becauseof parking of an additional vehicle in the garage 105. The measurementprocedure may be carried out multiple times for various reasons such as,for example, to confirm previous measurements, to detect any changes inthe dimensions of the garage 105, and/or for applying statisticalevaluation procedures upon multiple measurement results. The multiplemeasurement results may vary in accordance with where and how thevehicle 115 is parked in the garage 105 each time (for example, how farfrom the wall 137, at what angle with respect to the wall 138, etc.) andthe statistical evaluation procedures may be directed at determiningaverage values, determining variances, etc.

In another example embodiment, the vehicle entry authorization system116 may cooperate with a smartphone (the handheld remote-control device120) to execute a measurement procedure. The measurement procedure mayinvolve an individual (such as, for example, the driver of the vehicle115) placing the smartphone upon a first wall (for example, the wall137) and the vehicle entry authorization system 116 determining adistance between the vehicle 115 and the wall by identifying a locationof the smartphone using various location identification procedures. Inan example location identification procedure, the location of thesmartphone may be determined using UWB-based triangulation when thesmartphone uses UWB communications. In another location identificationprocedure, the location of the smartphone may be determined on the basisof a received signal strength indication (RSSI) and/or a radiationpattern of an antenna of the handheld remote-control device 120.

The distance measuring procedure based on the location of the smartphonecan be repeated for each of the other walls of the garage 105 and themeasurement results used for generating a template of the garage 105, a360° view of the walls of the garage 105, and/or a visual rendering ofthe garage 105. The vehicle entry authorization system 116 may then usethe template to determine whether the handheld remote-control device 120is located inside or outside the garage 105.

In the scenario illustrated in FIG. 1 , the handheld remote-controldevice 120 is located outside the garage 105 (in the dwelling 110 or onthe driveway outside the garage 105 door, for example) and the vehicleentry authorization system 116 will refrain from automaticallyactivating a component of the vehicle 115 such as, for example, a doorlock, a door latch, a door activation servomotor, or a light. Doing so,eliminates false activations and conserves battery charge in the batteryof the vehicle 115.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example scenario where the vehicle 115 is parkedin a second type of garage and executes some operations in accordancewith the disclosure. In this scenario, the garage 105 is located below aroom of the dwelling 110 and obtaining dimensional information of theinterior portion of the garage 105 entails executing a measurementprocedure that involves determining a distance between a roof thevehicle 115 and a ceiling of the garage 105.

In an example measurement procedure in accordance with the procedure,the vehicle entry authorization system 116 may configure a camera (notshown) that is mounted on the roof of the vehicle 115 to capture animage of the ceiling 206 of the garage 105. A distance measurementdevice, which may be mounted adjacent to the camera, can be operated todetermine a distance 205 between the ceiling 206 of the garage 105 andthe roof of the vehicle 115. The image of the ceiling 206 may then beannotated with the distance 205 and used by the vehicle entryauthorization system 116 to produce a second example representation ofthe interior portion of the garage 105. The second examplerepresentation may be based exclusively on the image of the ceiling 206that is annotated with the distance 205 (if no other room of thedwelling 110 is located on the ground floor along with the garage 105)or may be combined with the annotated images of the wall 137, the wall138, the wall 142, the inside surface of the garage door 144, and thewall 143 if another room of the dwelling 110 is located at ground leveland adjacent to the garage 105 (in addition to the room above the garage105).

In the illustrated scenario, the vehicle entry authorization system 116may detect the location of the handheld remote-control device 120 anduse the dimensional information template to identify the location asbeing outside the garage 105 (in the room above the garage 105). In thissituation, the vehicle entry authorization system 116 will refrain fromautomatically activating a component of the vehicle 115 such as, forexample, a door lock, a door latch, a door activation servomotor, or alight. Doing so, eliminates false activations and conserves batterycharge in the battery of the vehicle 115.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example scenario where the vehicle 115 is parkedin a third type of garage and executes some operations in accordancewith the disclosure. In this scenario, the garage 105 is located above aroom of the dwelling 110 such as, for example, above a basement.Obtaining dimensional information of the interior portion of the garage105 entails executing a measurement procedure that involves determininga distance between a floorboard of the vehicle 115 and a floor 306 thegarage 105.

In an example measurement procedure in accordance with the procedure,vehicle entry authorization system 116 may determine a distance 305between the floorboard of the vehicle 115 and the floor 306 the garage105. The distance 305 may be determined in various ways. In a firstapproach, a distance measurement device, which may be mounted adjacentto the camera, can be operated by the vehicle entry authorization system116 to determine the distance 305. The vehicle entry authorizationsystem 116 may also activate a camera (not shown) that is mounted on theunderside of the floorboard of the vehicle 115 to capture an image ofthe floor 306. The image of the ceiling 306 may be annotated with thedistance 305 and used by the vehicle entry authorization system 116. Ina second approach, the vehicle entry authorization system 116 mayidentify the distance 305 by obtaining vehicle data from amanufacturer's database such as for example, a ground clearancespecification of the vehicle 115.

The distance 305 may be used by the vehicle entry authorization system116 to produce a third example representation of the interior portion ofthe garage 105. The third example representation may be basedexclusively on the distance 305 if no other room of the dwelling 110 islocated on the ground floor along with the garage 105 or may be combinedwith the annotated images of the wall 137, the wall 138, the wall 142,the inside surface of the garage door 144, and the wall 143 of anotherroom of the dwelling 110 is located at ground level and adjacent to thegarage 105 (in addition to the room below the garage 105).

In the illustrated scenario, the vehicle entry authorization system 116may detect the location of the handheld remote-control device 120 anduse the dimensional information template to identify the location asbeing outside the garage 105 (in the room below the garage). In thissituation, the vehicle entry authorization system 116 will refrain fromautomatically activating a component of the vehicle 115 such as, forexample, a door lock, a door latch, a door activation servomotor, or alight. Doing so, eliminates false activations and conserves batterycharge in the battery of the vehicle 115.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example scenario where the vehicle 115 is parkedin a fourth type of garage and executes some operations in accordancewith the disclosure. The fourth type of garage is a two-vehicle garagein which another vehicle 430 is parked next to the vehicle 115. In afirst example scenario, the vehicle 430 is equipped with a vehicle entryauthorization system 431 that includes a communication system employingvehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications. The vehicle entry authorizationsystem 431 of the vehicle 430 may communicate with the vehicle entryauthorization system 116 of the vehicle 115 via a V2V communication link425. The vehicle 430 may be a newly acquired vehicle that is beingparked in the garage 105 for the first time and has no data pertainingto the garage 105. Consequently, the vehicle entry authorization system431 of the vehicle 430 may request and obtain from the vehicle entryauthorization system 116 of the vehicle 115, dimensional informationabout the interior portion of the garage 105, in the form of a template,for example. The template may be used by the vehicle entry authorizationsystem 431 of the vehicle 430 to execute various operations inaccordance with disclosure. Such operations can include refraining fromautomatically activating a component of the vehicle 430 (light, door,etc.) when the individual 125 is located outside the garage 105 (such asshown by the dashed line representations of the individual 125. Thedimensional information may be further used by the vehicle entryauthorization system 431 to perform desirable actions when theindividual 125 is inside the garage 105 and intends to enter the vehicle115.

In another example scenario, the vehicle 115 may be an autonomousvehicle and the vehicle entry authorization system 431 of the vehicle430 may communicate with the vehicle entry authorization system 116 ofthe vehicle 115 via the V2V communication link 425 to instruct thevehicle 115 to pull out of the garage 105 so as to allow the vehicleentry authorization system 431 of the vehicle 430 to perform ameasurement procedure. The vehicle entry authorization system 431 of thevehicle 430 may execute a measurement procedure to obtain dimensionalinformation of the interior portion of the garage 105 after the vehicle115 has pulled out of the garage 105. Upon completion of the measurementprocedure, the vehicle entry authorization system 431 of the vehicle 430may instruct the vehicle entry authorization system 116 of the vehicle115 to move the vehicle 115 back into the garage 105.

In yet another example scenario, the vehicle entry authorization system431 of the newly-acquired vehicle 430 may seek the assistance of thevehicle entry authorization system 116 of the vehicle 115 to execute ameasurement procedure for obtaining dimensional information of theinterior portion of the garage 105. The measurement procedure involvesthe vehicle entry authorization system 116 of the vehicle 115 capturinga first image of the wall 143 and obtaining a distance measurement ofthe distance 459 that extends from the wall 143 to a first side 458 ofthe vehicle 115 (the driver side of the vehicle 115). The first imagecan be annotated with the distance 459.

The vehicle entry authorization system 116 of the vehicle 115 may thencapture a second image of a side 453 of the vehicle 430 (the driver sideof the vehicle 430) and execute a distance measurement to determine thedistance 456 that extends from the side 457 of the vehicle 115 to theside 453 of the vehicle 430. The second image can be annotated with thedistance 456. The annotated first image and the annotated second imagemay then be stored in a database of the vehicle entry authorizationsystem 116 of the vehicle 115. In an example implementation, locationinformation of the vehicle 115 (GPS coordinates, for example) can bestored along with the annotated first image and the annotated secondimage.

The measurement procedure further involves the vehicle entryauthorization system 431 of the vehicle 430 capturing a first image ofthe wall 138 and obtaining a distance measurement of the distance 451that extends from the wall 138 to a side 452 of the vehicle 430 (thepassenger side of the vehicle 430). The first image can be annotatedwith the distance 451.

The vehicle entry authorization system 431 of the vehicle 430 may thencapture a second image of the side 457 of the vehicle 115 (passengerside) and execute a distance measurement to determine the distance 454that extends from the side 453 of the vehicle 430 to the side 457 of thevehicle 115. The second image can be annotated with the distance 454.The annotated first image and the annotated second image may be storedin a database of the vehicle entry authorization system 431 of thevehicle 430. In an example implementation, location information of thevehicle 430 (GPS coordinates, for example) can be stored along with theannotated first image and the annotated second image.

Subsequently, the vehicle entry authorization system 431 of the vehicle430 may wirelessly communicate with the vehicle entry authorizationsystem 116 of the vehicle 115 to request a data transfer of theannotated first image and the annotated second image stored in thedatabase of the vehicle entry authorization system 116 of the vehicle115 (and also the location information of the vehicle 115, if sodesired). The vehicle entry authorization system 431 of the vehicle 430determines a separation distance between the wall 138 and the wall 143of the garage 105 by combining the distance 459, the distance 456 (orthe distance 454), the distance 451, a width dimension of the vehicle430, and a width dimension of the vehicle 115. The width dimensions canbe obtained from various sources such as, for example, a manufacturer ofeach vehicle. In one case, an average of the distance 454 and thedistance 456 may be used in lieu of using either the distance 454 or thedistance 456. In this case, the average of the distance 454 and thedistance 456 corresponds to the separation distance between the side 457of the vehicle 115 and the side 453 of the vehicle 430.

The vehicle entry authorization system 431 of the vehicle 430 mayfurther generate annotated images of the wall 137 and the wall 142 andcombine the distance 461 and the distance 462 with length information ofthe vehicle 430 to determine a separation distance between the wall 137and the wall 142 of the garage 105. The dimensions of the interiorportion of the garage 105 may then be determined based on the separationdistance between the wall 138 and the wall 143 of the garage 105 and theseparation distance between the wall 137 and the wall 142 of the garage105. In an alternative approach, the vehicle entry authorization system431 of the vehicle 430 may instruct the vehicle entry authorizationsystem 116 of the vehicle 115 to display a message on the mobile deviceof the individual 125. The message may request the individual 125 whocan be a driver of the vehicle 115 to move the vehicle 115 out of thegarage 105 so as to allow the vehicle entry authorization system 431 ofthe vehicle 430 to perform a measurement procedure. The vehicle entryauthorization system 431 of the vehicle 430 may execute a measurementprocedure to obtain dimensional information of the interior portion ofthe garage 105 after the vehicle 115 has been pulled out of the garage105. Upon completion of the measurement procedure, the vehicle entryauthorization system 431 of the vehicle 430 may instruct the vehicleentry authorization system 116 of the vehicle 115 to display a messageto inform the driver that the vehicle 115 can be moved back into thegarage 105.

In yet another alternative approach, the vehicle entry authorizationsystem 431 of the vehicle 430 may instruct the vehicle entryauthorization system 116 of the vehicle 115 to display a message on theGUI of the infotainment system 148 and/or on other devices such as, forexample, a smart device carried by the individual 125. The message mayrequest the individual 125 who can be an operator of the vehicle 115 (anautonomous vehicle) to authorize a Remote Park Assist Maneuver toautonomously open the door of the garage 105 and pull out of the garage105 temporarily while the vehicle entry authorization system 431 of thevehicle 430 executes a measurement procedure to obtain dimensionalinformation of the interior portion of the garage 105. Upon completionof the measurement procedure, the vehicle entry authorization system 431of the vehicle 430 may instruct the vehicle entry authorization system116 of the vehicle 115 to display another message on the GUI of theinfotainment system 148 and/or on other devices such as, for example, asmart device carried by the individual 125. This message may request theindividual 125 who can be an operator of the vehicle 115 to authorizethe vehicle 115 to repark itself autonomously in the garage 105 andclose the door of the garage 105.

In another example scenario, the vehicle 430 may be an older vehicle andlacks communication facilities to communicate with the vehicle 115 viaV2V communications. Consequently, the vehicle 430 may obtain thedimensional information about the interior portion of the garage 105 byexecuting a measurement procedure (such as the ones described above).Obtaining distance information between a passenger side of the vehicle430 and the wall 143, where a line-of-sight view may be blocked by thevehicle 115, may be carried out in various ways. In one case, themeasurement may be carried out when the vehicle 115 is not parked in thegarage 105. In another case, the measurement may be carried out byobtaining vehicle data from a manufacturer's database via wirelesscommunications through the Internet, for example. The vehicle data canpertain to, for example, a width of the chassis of the vehicle 115.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example scenario where the vehicle 115 executessome additional operations in accordance the disclosure. In thisscenario, the individual 125 is entering the garage 105 via the door112. The vehicle entry authorization system 116 detects the location ofthe handheld remote-control device 120 and uses the dimensionalinformation template to identify the presence of the individual 125inside the garage 105. In one case, the vehicle entry authorizationsystem 116 may activate the camera 145 to capture an image of theindividual 125 and evaluate the image to confirm the presence and/or theidentity of the individual 125.

Upon confirming that the individual 125 is located inside the garage 105and is walking towards the vehicle 115, the vehicle entry authorizationsystem 116 may execute one or more autonomous operations such as, forexample, unlocking and/or opening a door of the vehicle 115.

FIG. 6 shows some example components that may be included in the vehicle115. The example components may include the vehicle computer 117, asensor system 605, a controller system 620, the infotainment system 148,a wireless communication system 615, and the vehicle entry authorizationsystem 116. The various components are communicatively coupled to eachother via one or more buses such as an example bus 611. The bus 611 maybe implemented using various wired and/or wireless technologies. Forexample, the bus 611 can be a vehicle bus that uses a controller areanetwork (CAN) bus protocol, a Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST)bus protocol, and/or a CAN flexible data (CAN-FD) bus protocol. Some orall portions of the bus 611 may also be implemented using wirelesstechnologies such as Bluetooth®, Bluetooth® Low Energy, Ultra-Wideband,LF, UHF, Wi-Fi, Zigbee®, or near-field-communications (NFC).

The infotainment system 148 can include a display 610 having a GUI forcarrying out various operations. The GUI may be used, for example, toallow the driver of the vehicle 115 to confirm the accuracy of adistance measurement procedure executed by the vehicle entryauthorization system 116.

The sensor system 605 can include various types of sensors such as, forexample, the camera 135, the camera 140, the camera 145, and the camera150, and/or other sensors (not shown) such as, for example, anultrasonic detector, a radar detector, a sonar detector, and a LIDARdevice.

The controller system 620 can include various devices such as, forexample, relay activation components, servomotor activation components,and light activation components, that can be operated under control ofthe vehicle entry authorization system 116 to perform actions such asunlocking a door of the vehicle 115, unlatching a door latch, opening adoor of the vehicle 115, and turning on/off a light of the vehicle 115(tail light, headlight, cabin dome light etc.). Some of such actions maybe performed by the controller system 620 in cooperation with thevehicle computer 117.

The wireless communication system 615 can include multiple wirelessnodes mounted at various locations on the vehicle 115 or a singleintegrated unit mounted for example, in an engine compartment of thevehicle 115, in a trunk of the vehicle 115, in a cabin of the vehicle115, or on the roof of the vehicle 115. In an example implementation,the wireless communication system 615 is configured to allow the vehicle115 to communicate with other vehicles using V2V communications.

The vehicle entry authorization system 116 may include a processor 650,and a memory 655. The memory 655, which is one example of anon-transitory computer-readable medium, may be used to store anoperating system (OS) 680, a database 675, and various code modules suchas a vehicle entry authorization module 660, an image evaluation module665, and a sensor data evaluation module 670. The code modules areprovided in the form of computer-executable instructions that can beexecuted by the processor 650 for performing various operations inaccordance with the disclosure.

The vehicle entry authorization module 660 may be executed by theprocessor 650 for performing various operations related to executingmeasurement procedures for obtaining dimensional information of aninterior portion of a garage by operating one or more components of thesensor system 605, converting the dimensional information, detecting thepresence of a device such as, for example, a PaaK or a vehicle key fob,identifying a location of the device, and applying the template todetermine whether the device is inside or outside the garage. If thedevice is located outside the garage, the vehicle entry authorizationmodule 660 may cooperate with the controller system 620 and/or thevehicle computer 117 to ensure that no action is taken. However, if thedevice is located inside the garage, the vehicle entry authorizationmodule 660 may cooperate with the controller system 620 and/or thevehicle computer 117 to automatically activate one or more components ofthe vehicle 115. Example components can be a door lock, a door latch, adoor activation servomotor, or a light of the vehicle 115.

The image evaluation module 665 may be executed by the processor 650during execution of the vehicle entry authorization module 660, forevaluating images captured by one or more cameras of the sensor system605. Evaluating such images can include identifying various objects inthe images, such as, for example, a wall of the garage 105.

The sensor data evaluation module 670 may be executed by the processor650 during execution of the vehicle entry authorization module 660, forevaluating data received via sensor signals from various sensors of thesensor system 605. For example, the vehicle entry authorization module660 may obtain a distance measurement from an ultrasonic device or aradar device of the sensor system 605. The distance information, whichmay correspond to a separation distance between the vehicle 115 and awall of the garage 105, may be used to annotate the wall. The processor650 may then combine the annotated wall with other annotated walls ofthe garage 105 to generate a template of the interior portion of thegarage 105.

It must be understood that even though the various components in FIG. 6are shown as discrete functional blocks, some of these components, orsome parts of these components, may be combined together in someimplementations in accordance with the disclosure. For example, in oneexample implementation, some or all parts of the vehicle entryauthorization system 116 may be integrated with the vehicle computer117.

In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part hereof, which illustrate specificimplementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It isunderstood that other implementations may be utilized, and structuralchanges may be made without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “an example embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc.,indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature,structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarilyinclude the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover,such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment.Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic isdescribed in connection with an embodiment, one skilled in the art willrecognize such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection withother embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

Implementations of the systems, apparatuses, devices, and methodsdisclosed herein may comprise or utilize one or more devices thatinclude hardware, such as, for example, one or more processors andsystem memory, as discussed herein. An implementation of the devices,systems, and methods disclosed herein may communicate over a computernetwork. A “network” is defined as one or more data links that enablethe transport of electronic data between computer systems and/or modulesand/or other electronic devices. When information is transferred orprovided over a network or another communications connection (eitherhardwired, wireless, or any combination of hardwired or wireless) to acomputer, the computer properly views the connection as a transmissionmedium. Transmission media can include a network and/or data links,which can be used to carry desired program code means in the form ofcomputer-executable instructions or data structures and which can beaccessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. Combinationsof the above should also be included within the scope of non-transitorycomputer-readable media.

Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions anddata which, when executed at a processor, such as the processor 650,cause the processor to perform a certain function or group of functions.The computer-executable instructions may be, for example, binaries,intermediate format instructions such as assembly language, or evensource code. Although the subject matter has been described in languagespecific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to beunderstood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the described features or acts described above.Rather, the described features and acts are disclosed as example formsof implementing the claims.

A memory device such as the memory 655, can include any one memoryelement or a combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., randomaccess memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.)) and non-volatilememory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, tape, CDROM, etc.). Moreover,the memory device may incorporate electronic, electromagnetic, optical,and/or other types of storage media. In the context of this document, a“non-transitory computer-readable medium” can be, for example but notlimited to, an electronic, electromagnetic, optical, electromagnetic,infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device. More specificexamples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium wouldinclude the following: a portable computer diskette (electromagnetic), arandom-access memory (RAM) (electronic), a read-only memory (ROM)(electronic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM, EEPROM,or Flash memory) (electronic), and a portable compact disc read-onlymemory (CD ROM) (optical). Note that the computer-readable medium couldeven be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program isprinted, since the program can be electronically captured, for instance,via optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled,interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary,and then stored in a computer memory.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure maybe practiced in network computing environments with many types ofcomputer system configurations, including in-dash vehicle computers,personal computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, messageprocessors, handheld devices, multi-processor systems,microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs,minicomputers, mainframe computers, mobile telephones, PDAs, tablets,pagers, routers, switches, various storage devices, and the like. Thedisclosure may also be practiced in distributed system environmentswhere local and remote computer systems, which are linked (either byhardwired data links, wireless data links, or by any combination ofhardwired and wireless data links) through a network, both performtasks. In a distributed system environment, program modules may belocated in both the local and remote memory storage devices.

Further, where appropriate, the functions described herein can beperformed in one or more of hardware, software, firmware, digitalcomponents, or analog components. For example, one or more applicationspecific integrated circuits (ASICs) can be programmed to carry out oneor more of the systems and procedures described herein. Certain termsare used throughout the description, and claims refer to particularsystem components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, componentsmay be referred to by different names. This document does not intend todistinguish between components that differ in name, but not in function.

It should be noted that the sensor embodiments discussed above maycomprise computer hardware, software, firmware, or any combinationthereof to perform at least a portion of their functions. For example, asensor may include computer code configured to be executed in one ormore processors and may include hardware logic/electrical circuitrycontrolled by the computer code. These example devices are providedherein for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting.Embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in furthertypes of devices, as would be known to persons skilled in the relevantart(s).

At least some embodiments of the present disclosure have been directedto computer program products comprising such logic (e.g., in the form ofsoftware) stored on any computer-usable medium. Such software, whenexecuted in one or more data processing devices, causes a device tooperate as described herein.

While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been describedabove, it should be understood that they have been presented by way ofexample only, and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilledin the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentdisclosure. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure shouldnot be limited by any of the above-described example embodiments butshould be defined only in accordance with the following claims and theirequivalents. The foregoing description has been presented for thepurposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise formdisclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light ofthe above teaching. Further, it should be noted that any or all of theaforementioned alternate implementations may be used in any combinationdesired to form additional hybrid implementations of the presentdisclosure. For example, any of the functionality described with respectto a particular device or component may be performed by another deviceor component. Further, while specific device characteristics have beendescribed, embodiments of the disclosure may relate to numerous otherdevice characteristics. Further, although embodiments have beendescribed in language specific to structural features and/ormethodological acts, it is to be understood that the disclosure is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather,the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms ofimplementing the embodiments. Conditional language, such as, amongothers, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically statedotherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, isgenerally intended to convey that certain embodiments could include,while other embodiments may not include, certain features, elements,and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intendedto imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way requiredfor one or more embodiments.

1. A method of operation of a vehicle entry authorization system of avehicle, the method comprising: obtaining dimensional information of aninterior portion of a garage; detecting a mobile device; determining,based on the dimensional information of the interior portion of thegarage, that the mobile device is located outside the garage at a firstinstant in time, the determination comprising: operating a camera tocapture a first image of a wall of the garage; operating a distancemeasuring device to measure a first distance between the vehicle and thewall of the garage; annotating the first image with the first distanceto produce a first annotated image; generating a template based in parton the first annotated image; and applying the template to determine alocation of the mobile device at the first instant in time; andrefraining from automatically activating a component of the vehicle,based on determining that the mobile device is located outside thegarage at the first instant in time.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: determining, based on the dimensional information of theinterior portion of the garage, that the mobile device is located insidethe garage at a second instant in time; and automatically activating thecomponent of the vehicle based on determining that the mobile device islocated inside the garage at the second instant in time.
 3. The methodof claim 2, wherein the garage is attached to a dwelling, and whereinthe mobile device is located in the dwelling at the first instant intime.
 4. (canceled)
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the distancemeasuring device is one of a radar detector, an ultrasonic detector, alight detection and ranging (LIDAR) device, or a sonar detector.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, wherein determining, based on the dimensionalinformation of the interior portion of the garage, that the mobiledevice is located outside the garage at the first instant in timefurther comprises: operating the camera to capture a second image of aceiling of the garage; operating the distance measuring device tomeasure a second distance between the vehicle and the ceiling of thegarage; annotating the second image with the second distance to producea second annotated image; and generating the template further based inpart on the second annotated image.
 7. The method of claim 1, whereindetermining, based on the dimensional information of the interiorportion of the garage, that the mobile device is located outside thegarage at the first instant in time further comprises: obtaining aground clearance specification of the vehicle; and generating thetemplate further based in part on the ground clearance specification. 8.The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a smart device, andwherein the component of the vehicle that is activated is at least oneof a door lock, a door latch, a door activation servomotor, or a light.9. A method of operation of a vehicle entry authorization system of afirst vehicle, the method comprising: detecting a presence of a mobiledevice; determining a location of the mobile device; obtainingdimensional information of an interior portion of a garage; determining,based on the dimensional information of the interior portion of thegarage, that the mobile device is one of located outside the garage orlocated inside the garage, the determination comprising: operating acamera to capture an image of a wall of the garage; operating a distancemeasuring device to measure a first distance between the first vehicleand the wall of the garage; annotating the image with the first distanceto produce an annotated image; generating a template based in part onthe annotated image; and applying the template to determine the locationof the mobile device; and refraining from automatically activating acomponent of the first vehicle, based on determining that the mobiledevice is located outside a garage in which the first vehicle is parked.10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mobile device is a smart device,and wherein the component of the first vehicle that is activated is atleast one of a door lock, a door latch, a door activation servomotor, ora light.
 11. The method of claim 9, further comprising: automaticallyactivating the component of the first vehicle based on determining thatthe mobile device is located inside the garage in which the firstvehicle is parked.
 12. (canceled)
 13. The method of claim 9, whereinobtaining dimensional information of the interior portion of the garagecomprises the first vehicle executing a measurement procedure incooperation with a second vehicle parked in the garage.
 14. (canceled)15. A vehicle comprising: a sensor system comprising a distancemeasuring device; a controller system; and a vehicle entry authorizationsystem comprising: a memory containing computer-executable instructions;and a processor configured to access the memory and execute thecomputer-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:operating the sensor system to obtain dimensional information of aninterior portion of a garage, the operation of the sensor systemcomprising: operating the distance measuring device to measure a firstdistance between the vehicle and at least one wall of the garage; andoperating the distance measuring device to measure a second distancebetween the vehicle and a ceiling of the vehicle; detecting a mobiledevice; determining, based on the dimensional information of theinterior portion of the garage, that the mobile device is located one ofoutside the garage or inside the garage; configuring the controllersystem to refrain from activating a component of the vehicle when themobile device is located outside the garage; and configuring thecontroller system to automatically activate the component of the vehiclewhen the mobile device is located inside the garage.
 16. The vehicle ofclaim 15, wherein the mobile device is a smart device, and wherein thecomponent of the vehicle is at least one of a door lock, a door latch, adoor activation servomotor, or a light.
 17. (canceled)
 18. The vehicleof claim 15, wherein the distance measuring device is one of a radardetector, an ultrasonic detector, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR)device, or a sonar detector.
 19. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein thesensor system further comprises a camera, and wherein operating thesensor system to obtain dimensional information of the interior portionof the garage further comprises: operating the camera to capture a firstimage of a first one of the at least one walls of the garage; operatingthe camera to capture a second image of a ceiling of the garage; andobtaining the dimensional information of the interior portion of thegarage by evaluating at least two items, the two items selected from agroup comprising the first image, the second image, and a groundclearance specification of the vehicle.
 20. The vehicle of claim 15,further comprising a device having a user interface, and wherein theprocessor is further configured to access the memory and execute thecomputer-executable instructions to perform additional operationscomprising: displaying, on the user interface, a request forconfirmation of the dimensional information obtained by operating thesensor system of the vehicle.